Staci and the horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day

Next time you see my children alive and well, without bruises, without scars (emotional or physical) please acknowledge my restraint and bridled frustration. I found myself stopping, counting, breathing, praying, begging for patience, wisdom, love, and calmness more times today than usual. I also found myself correcting, advising, chastising, disciplining, intervening, refereeing, separating, vindicating, and preserving the two little ones every other second of this oh-so-long, never- ending, "when in the world is daddy coming home" kind of day. I didn't have the presence of mind or really any desire to grab the camera and capture on film the trials and tribulations of the day (though I give Liz total props for doing just that). Just next time you see "Super Nanny" or possibly the "Jerry Springer Show" just imagine in your head the faces of myself and my two cherubs superimposed on the bodies of the dysfunctional participants. That would more or less be the video at any given moment of our day. But..... praise God, it's 5:00. And by His grace, they, and I start fresh again tomorrow forgiven and free and hopefully with hearts that have learned a thing or two from today and its trials.